Spotlight – Two Week Seduction

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Kathy Lyons, Two Week Seduction

We’re starting off the week right … with a steamy sneak peek at Kathy Lyons new book, Two Week Seduction.

*****

Two Week Seduction

By Kathy Lyons

A sexy category romance from Entangled’s Brazen imprint…

Blurb:

She’s going to break all of his rules…

Tech Sergeant John O’Donnell was never fond of his hometown. Too many reminders of poverty, his rocky family life, and the girl he was never allowed to have. Now he has exactly two weeks to sort out his mother’s finances before he heads back overseas. Two weeks that he’s determined to spend as far from his best friend’s little sister as possible.

Alea Heling has a naughty streak a mile wide. Sweet and simple? Boring. She’s been craving a bad boy like John since their wild days together in high school, and this time, she’s not taking no for an answer. But with every panty-meltingly hot encounter, Alea forgets one hard, cold reality—this soldier won’t let a fortnight turn into forever…and forever might be exactly what they both need.

Buy Links: Goodreads  Amazon Barnes & Noble  Entangled

Entangled Brazen:

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/BrazenBooks

Twitter: @BrazenBooks

Steals and Deals

*****

Author Info:

Kathy Lyons is the fun, contemporary side of USA Today Bestselling author Jade Lee.  She loves sassy romance with lots of laughter and sex.  Spice is the variety of life, right?  Okay, so maybe two kids, two cats, two pennames, and writing over 40 books has messed with her mind, but she still keeps having fun. Check her out at www.KathyLyons.com  Or hang out with her sexy historical half, Jade Lee. Titled heroes with dark secrets are Jade’s passion.  Especially when they fall for women who add more than just spice to their lives.

Find her atwww.JadeLeeAuthor.com.

Facebook: JadeLeeBooks

Twitter: JadeLeeAuthor

Website   Blog   Twitter   Facebook   Goodreads   Newsletter

*****

Excerpt:

            “Thank you for your help,” he said. His voice was rusty, but clear enough.

She gasped in mock shock. “He speaks! Five words and it wasn’t rude!”

Against his will, his lips twitched. She always could make him smile when he least wanted to.

She leaned forward, a mischievous twinkle in her eyes. “Let’s try something else. I know it’s dangerous—I mean, your head might explode or something—but I say we risk it. Give me a compliment.”

“Fishing?” he drawled.

She tsked. “That wasn’t a compliment. You’re supposed to say something nice. About me.”

He didn’t answer. Mostly because he was thinking of all the things he wanted to say. That her skin looked soft and her eyes were a changeable hazel that always kept him guessing. That her tits were round and full, just begging to be nipped. That she was small compared to his 6’3″ frame, but she had legs long enough to wrap around his waist as he buried himself inside her. And that red hair, a bright red flash of color on her perfect body, was a scream of danger he lusted after.

While those thoughts spun through his mind, her expression soured. With a sigh, she grabbed his empty beer bottle and held it before his eyes. “Say something nice to me and I’ll get you another beer.”

She shook the bottle a little to grab his attention. It didn’t work. He was too busy watching how the breeze pressed her blouse flat against her chest. Her bra had lace, which meant texture, and he wondered what sound she’d make if he tugged it back and forth against her nipples.

“John–-”

“That’s a nice b-blouse.” Damn it, he’d almost said bra.

Her mouth flattened with a sigh. “I thought you’d like it.”

Alea leaned forward as she pushed to her feet. A curl of brown hair tumbled forward, pushing past the tiny gold hoop in her ear to dangle right before him. Without thinking, he grabbed the lock, winding it around his fingers. It wasn’t even long enough to pull into his fist. But it was close enough to hold her still. Her eyes widened in surprise and her mouth—those plump, pink lips—formed a perfect O.

God, he’d been gone so long. And she was so much of a woman now.

“John?”

He wanted to say something, but he hadn’t the words. Just a thick want. He took a breath, trying to clear his head, but all he tasted on the air was her. A citrus scent, so appropriate to Florida and so missed when he was in Afghanistan. But there was another scent on top. The taste of woman, hot and spicy despite her demure yellow shirt.

He should let her go, but his fingers just wouldn’t cooperate. He tightened his hold. And when her hair started to slip through his grip, he pushed forward in his chair. He deserved one taste. He sacrificed so his country would be safe. One kiss was nothing when stacked up against that.

But if he was going to take her mouth—and he damn sure was—then he was going to take something else too…

*****

Giveaway:

Prize pack to include:

Signed copies of

Wedded in Scandal, Wedded in Sin, What the Bride Wore, & What the Groom Wants by Jade Lee

and Dream Nights with the CEO by Kathy Lyons

a Kathy Lyons notepad

Jade Lee sticky notepads

And a squidge cell phone holder

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/1cb554392/

*****

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Book Review – Break Me

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Autumn Stark, Book Review, Break Me, In Plain Sight series

Today’s second review, since I missed yesterday.

*****

Abigail Stevens, an efficient and no-nonsense editor for one of the biggest names in the romance novel industry, has a big problem. She’s been desperately in love with Anthony Tate, Mr. Romance-Writer himself, for the last four years. She’s settled for friendship and professional success for the last four years, but now the sexy writer needs something more from her and she can’t find a reason to refuse.

Tony Tate has built a career centered on his identity as America’s most romantic writer. That identity does not include a debauched temper tantrum in the aftermath of his very public break-up with his on-again, off-again girlfriend. Tony has known that Abby has had the hots for him since the moment they met, but when his Plain Jane best friend and controlling editor ends up being his only option to exorcise his demons and pent-up sexual frustration, he can’t wait to break her prim and proper shell.

As Tony and Abby push each other farther than they’ve ever gone before, the question becomes, who will break whom?

There are a lot of people who aren’t going to like Break Me.  Tony’s treatment of Abby is horrible and she goes along with it for a long time … then she finally reaches her breaking point.

This is the first book by Autumn Stark and it’s a good start.  The sex is extremely hot, although some may not appreciate Tony’s dominance and there are times when it is almost violent.  Abby’s heart is too involved, so I understand why she lets things go as long as she does.  Tony, though, is typically clueless to his real feelings and motivations until it is almost too late.  He’s a complete jerk and his treatment of Abby definitely is beyond outrageous.  The tone changes toward the end but I’m not sure if everyone is going to appreciate his aha moment.

We get a great secondary cast and I can’t wait to see what Stark has in store for us with them.  Abby’s friend, her brothers, and Tony’s buddy have interesting stories, providing plenty of material for more books.

A decent first novel, Break Me won’t be for everyone, but it’s a good beginning for a new series.

Book Review – Parker’s Passion

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Book Review, Parker's Passion, Sabrina York, Tryst Island series

Since I missed yesterday’s book review post due to a very lovely wedding (gotta love real-life romantic moments), I’ll have two up today.  First we’re starting out with another in the “Tryst Island” series, following Book 1: Rebound, Book 2: Dragonfly Kisses, Book 3: Smoking Holt, Book 4: Heart of Ash and Book 5: Devlin’s Dare.  I haven’t read them all but I do have reviews for Rebound and Smoking Holt.

*****

Scarred by a long-ago crime of passion, Parker Rieth has dedicated himself to a cold, emotionless existence as a divorce lawyer. He is utterly unprepared for the effect Kaitlin Stringer has on his heart, mind and soul. Beautiful, ethereal and irresistible, she touches him in a way no other woman has. Though he has vowed to avoid her, he is drawn toward her.

Psychic healer Kaitlin is just what Parker needs to reconcile his past, to finally set old ghosts to rest, and to claim his destiny. Can he find the courage to step into Kaitlin’s embrace? Does she have what it takes to awaken his sleeping passion?

I’m really loving York’s Tryst Island series.  They are sexy, emotional and full of interesting characters.  As each of them fall in love, it leaves me both satisfied and looking forward to more stories.

Both Parker and Kaitlin have problems letting others in.  They were each scarred by a long ago event, but together they just might be able to learn to trust again.

I really enjoyed both of the characters. I wasn’t sure how I was going to react to Kaitlin’s psychic abilities but it works well in the story.  The way she’s able to provide comfort and hope to Parker is fantastic.  And he’s one of my favorite characters so far – troubled, honorable, and a little bit scared but willing to give in to his attraction to Kaitlin anyway.

There is also an interesting twist to this one – a bit of danger and intrigue, which is a little different than the ones I’ve read so far.  It isn’t all that involved but it does add a little more to an already great read.

Parker’s Passion (like all of the stories in the series) is scorching, sweet and addictive.  York is quickly becoming one of my go-to authors.

(Although, Parker’s Passion can stand on its own, it does have ties to the previous books in the series.  If you haven’t read them, don’t worry, it’s just kinda fun to see those stories from a different perspective.  Plus we see more of the friends who are sure to have a future story and I’m looking forward to each one.)

Guest Post – By Jove

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By Jove, Marissa Doyle

Today I’m thrilled to welcome Marissa Doyle as she shares a little bit about her new book, By Jove.

*****

Hello, Romantic Readers.

So believe it or not, someone’s written a romance about graduate students studying classics. You know, Latin and Greek? And it’s—wait for it—a paranormal romance. Yes, really.

The book is called By Jove, just out from Entangled Publishing. And the someone who wrote it would be me.

So where did I get the idea to write a romance about grad school and the Greek gods?

Writers get their ideas from all sorts of places: newspaper stories, TV commercials, conversations overheard in coffee shops, magazine ads, song lyrics. Anything can spark a story: it’s the writer’s job to fan that spark into the flame of an actual plot, and keep the fire going for the writing of an entire book.

I’ve gotten story ideas from a lot of places: biographies, writing prompts, and a lecture at the local historical society, to name a few. But my favorite source of story ideas is dreams. At least half of the stories I’ve written were based at least in part on a dream, which is why I keep multiple notepads and pens (including one that has a built-in light!) on my bedside table just in case inspiration strikes while I snooze. It’s kind of cool, really, to settle into my pillow every night and wonder if the plot to my next story will make its appearance . In fact, I always tell young writers to keep a dream journal, because it can be an excellent source of inspiration for their writing.

The dream that inspired me to write By Jove didn’t actually make it into the story, at least not in any recognizable form. But it did its job, and gave me the spark of what I hope you’ll think is a great read.

*****

By Jove

by Marissa Doyle

Blurb:

For Theodora Fairchild, graduate school is a dream. The professors are fighting over her, she gets to study Latin and explore her knowledge of Greek gods with others who share her passion…and she meets Grant Proctor. He’s as shy as she is, and oh so handsome.

As she gives in to her feelings for the man who’s stolen her heart, someone seems determined to keep them apart—no matter the consequences. There are evil forces at work, and they have plans for Theo that don’t include Grant. When Grant disappears, surviving the semester becomes the least of Theo’s worries. Her knowledge of ancient mythology may be her best weapon, and relying on her wits and wisdom may be the only thing to help her save her true love.

Goodreads *Amazon * Barnes & Noble* Entangled

*****

Author Info:

Marissa Doyle graduated from Bryn Mawr College and went on to graduate school intending to be an archaeologist, but somehow got distracted. Eventually she figured out what she was really supposed to be doing and started writing. She’s channeled her inner history geekiness into a successful young adult historical fantasy series, and is now also happily writing contemporary romantic fantasy. She lives in her native Massachusetts with her family, including a pair of bossy but adorable pet rabbits, and loves quilting, sailing, gardening, and collecting antiques. Oh, and coffee.

Website * Blog * Twitter *Facebook * Goodreads

*****

Giveaway:

$30 Starbucks or B&N Gift Card

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/1cb554380/

*****

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Spotlight – The Gull Motel

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Amie Denman, The Gull Motel

Now we get the first chapter in Amie Denman’s book, The Gull Motel.  Full of a little bit of mystery, a lot of humor and romance, it is the perfect choice to throw in your beach bag.

*****

The Gull Motel

A Sweet Contemporary Romance

by Amie Denman

Blurb:

Savvy Thorpe needs a vacation. Finally finished with college, she heads to her favorite shabby motel on Florida’s Gulf Coast where her aunt and uncle always save her room twenty-four. She quickly finds out, though, that The Gull Motel is not just her home away from home. It’s hers to manage while her aunt and uncle take an extended trip.

Skip McComber, The Gull’s former maintenance man, has been working on Savvy’s nuts and bolts for years. Now the new owner of the bar next door, his mission is to renovate a pirate bar while being a walking temptation for the girl he can’t get off his mind.

For Savvy, keeping her cool running a motel in Florida heat is one thing, but navigating the steamy waters of a former fling takes a whole other kind of savvy. In addition to the motel and the man next door, Savvy stumbles on a plot to swindle land from the residents of Barefoot Key. Devalued properties tumble like dominoes until Savvy musters her colorful crew from The Gull Motel to make the pillagers walk the plank.

Buy Links:

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | KOBO | SMASHWORDS

ALL ROMANCE EBOOKS  |  TURQUOISE MORNING PRESS

*****

Excerpt:

Chapter One

Vacation. Despite my brainy reputation, this was one of the smartest things I’d done in a long time. When my middle school math teacher shortened my name from Savannah to Savvy, I took on a persona that drove me all the way through college at the top of my class. But now, I planned to put my brain on ice and my butt in the hot sand at my aunt and uncle’s lovably shabby beachside Florida motel. It was the most savvy thing I could do while I played an endless waiting game with the job market.

It was a hot September morning when I rolled into the steaming lot at the Gull Motel. Everything about it said Old Florida. A miniature palm tree grew in a concrete planter in front of the Office sign. The few cars nosed up to numbered doors looked hot enough to combust. It wasn’t a hotel, it didn’t have the cachet. But it looked like a four-diamond resort to me as my burly Uncle Mike swung open the frosted glass office door and grinned at me like Santa had just landed on his roof.

“Your aunt’s got the margarita machine going already,” he said, crushing me in a massive hug. The musty smell of hotel air conditioning permeated his aqua blue polo shirt. The whole range of my vision was aqua—the signature color of The Gull Motel. Its roof had aqua trim, the windows were edged in the same paint, and the sign squatting on top of a twenty foot pole in the parking lot boasted a white seagull outlined against an aqua sky.

“Before lunch?” I questioned, the vacationer in me at war with my responsible side.

Uncle Mike opened the back hatch and manhandled my suitcase. He nodded toward his beloved motel. “You’re a special occasion,” he said. “Vacation is important. Trust me. I’ve built a business on it.”

For the long drive from Michigan—where autumn had started to show its colors—I wore old comfortable knee-length shorts and a t-shirt, but I was overdressed now. The clientele here was more short-shorts and spaghetti straps than college dorm casual. I could adjust. This was not my first trip to the Gulf Coast.

I followed Uncle Mike through the office—dingy but familiar—and paused as he deposited my suitcase behind the desk. Rita, the receptionist, had a phone hooked between her ear and shoulder as she simultaneously checked in a guest. Somehow she managed to wave to me and give me a raised eyebrow smile. An experienced multi-tasker, Rita could probably smoke a cigarette, do her nails, and handle three guest complaints at the same time. She pointed toward the patio.

Movement—blurred by condensation—grabbed my attention. When my uncle slid the door open, a blonde tornado hit me. I’d been coming to The Gull several times a year all my life. One fact I could still count on was that Aunt Carol got smaller with age but her hair got bigger. Compensation comes in many forms.

She pulled me into a tight hug. “You need a nice cold drink.”

Carol hauled me over to a concrete table surrounded by old metal chairs. The patio was large enough for several tables and chairs, all shaded by aqua umbrellas. The cracked concrete floor surrounded by a knee-high concrete wall didn’t necessarily invite guests to linger, but the view did.

The wide white Florida beach ending in a sparkling blue Gulf of Mexico said resort even if the stacked two story building with parking right outside the rooms said 1950s beach motel.

Carol raised the pitcher—also filled with aqua liquid continuing the theme of The Gull—and started to fill three glasses. She didn’t get to the third before Rita shoved the glass door open and leaned out with the cordless phone.

“Better take this one, Carol,” she said, holding out the phone.

Mike parked himself across from me while his wife went inside. “Your aunt’s all excited to have you down here for a few weeks. I think she wants to pick your brain about making a few updates around here, figuring you got some great ideas with your degree.”

Fresh from college and an internship to polish off my hotel and hospitality management degree, I wouldn’t be bragging to say I had some ideas. But telling my aunt and uncle they’d have to spiff up The Gull for a new generation that didn’t remember the moon landing was going to be a tough sell. They loved the old place just as it was. Truth is, so did I. I also loved my ancient slippers, but I wouldn’t wear them on a date.

“I think she wants someone to go shopping with, too,” he said, his broad smile highlighting deep wrinkles around his eyes and stretching out his age spots.

“I could shop,” I agreed. “My college clothes won’t work if I can land a spot in the management trainee program I applied to.”

“The Grand Chicago. Heck of a fancy place,” Uncle Mike said, raising his glass and clinking mine. “I’ll drink to that.”

Thinking about the gleaming floors, modern luxury, and five-star everything at the place where I hoped to start in January gave me a little feeling of disloyalty. I would always love The Gull. So what that it was a used Chevy and the Grand Chicago was a Rolls Royce? I’d put in a lot of miles in a Chevrolet.

Carol left the sliding door gaping behind her, striding quickly to our sunny table on the patio.

“My mother got arrested again,” she said, picking up one of the margarita glasses and slamming half of it.

Mike pulled Carol onto his lap and shook his head sympathetically. “What was it this time?”

“Trespassing again. One of her card buddies bailed her out, but the police chief thinks she needs a babysitter. That was him on the phone.”

“He’s a nice enough guy. But we’re starting to know him better than we should,” Mike said. “Does this mean someone’s headed for Michigan?”

Carol’s mother, Aunt Gwen to me, was pushing eighty and still did water aerobics, played cards, and hosted wine-making classes at her lakeside cabin. Located next to a vineyard, the owners used to look the other way when Aunt Gwen gathered grapes near her property line for her little hobby. I’d heard she sent them a bottle every Christmas as a neighborly gesture. However, the vineyard changed hands a few years ago and the new owners see her actions as more theft than eccentricity.

“Maybe just for a week until we can talk some sense into her or build a big enough fence,” Carol said. “Too bad she refuses to move down here. Says Florida is for old people.”

“Sounds like you’ll need reinforcements this time.” Uncle Mike blew out a long breath. “We haven’t had a vacation in a long time, and Michigan’s nice in the fall. Guess we’ll figure out someone to watch over the place while we’re gone.”

They exchanged a glance and turned a laser-beam look on me, making me feel like the one guy who knew the combination in a bank that was being robbed. They glanced away quickly like a search light moving on to its next target.

The loyal niece in me wanted to say sure, coach, send me in. I have a degree in hotel management, am nice to children and animals, and always flush the toilet.

The vacationer in me wanted to say…uh…I’m on vacation.

Carol sucked both lips into her mouth and watched a seagull fly over. Mike scratched the short whiskers on his chin and toed a chip in the concrete.

I tried drinking for distraction and effect. Not that I could sustain that tactic for long. I can’t hold my booze and I tend to crack under pressure faster than chapped lips in a Michigan winter.

“Maybe I could—”

Yelling and barking exploded next door and a half-naked man chased a huge yellow dog out of Harvey’s Pirate Emporium and toward The Gull.

I jumped up. “Tulip!” Tulip was a three-year-old yellow Lab who did not know she wasn’t a puppy anymore. She stole things, slept in inappropriate locations, ate stray cigarette butts, and was probably going to come home with a tattoo one of these days.

“Not again,” Carol said.

Tulip skidded to a stop, dropped something shapeless and slobbery on the patio at my feet, and put her front paws on my shoulders. I sat down hard in my metal chair, off balance and getting licked like a tootsie pop. I was afraid she’d actually find out how many licks it took to get to my center.

The man sweating and breathing hard as he finished the race behind the dog already knew how many licks it took to get to my center. Skip McComber had circled me for years, a bonus temptation every time I visited my aunt and uncle’s motel where he’d been the maintenance man since we were both sixteen. Last spring, the circle tightened considerably, aided by a reckless spring break attitude and fueled by tequila.

I stood up and tried to compose myself discretely. He looked as tempting as always. Tall, shirtless, eyes and hair the color of caramel splashed with sunshine. In contrast, I looked like a refugee from a pajama party. Shorts twisted, t-shirt violated, ponytail askew. Given the heat burning my cheeks, it was safe to assume I was flushed like an eighty-year-old jogger.

“This must be yours,” I said, picking up the leather toolbelt Tulip had dropped at my feet. Covered in dog slime and violated with teethmarks in several places, it was the dog’s latest indiscretion. I could sympathize. Skip was my most recent fling, too.

He took the toolbelt and made a slow show of slinging it around his hips. He kept eye contact with me the whole time, like he was daring me to watch his seductive buckling up. I only let my eyes slide south once. I was on vacation. And he looked that good.

“Sorry about that,” my aunt said. “Tulip thinks it’s a chew toy. At least your tools are still in it this time and not scattered all over the sand. Most of them anyway.”

He broke his focus on me and smiled at my aunt. “It’s my fault for encouraging her to visit me.” He dug a treat out of his pocket and flipped it to the dog. She caught it in midair and tossed him a look of slutty affection.

“Savvy just rolled in a few minutes ago,” Carol said.

“I can see that,” Skip said.

“She was supposed to be enjoying a vacation after all her hard work in college,” Mike added, “but something has come up back home in Michigan with Carol’s mother.”

“Hope Aunt Gwen’s okay,” Skip said. “She’s a hoot.”

Carol rolled her eyes. “She’s a crazy old lady. Arrested again for liberating grapes from the neighboring vineyard.”

“Probably only stole what she was going to eat.”

“Or make into wine,” Mike said. “We were just talking to Savvy here about taking care of The Gull for us while we make a quick trip North.”

Mike, Carol, Skip, and even Tulip stood in a line, looking at me like I had a stash of free tickets to Disney World. Except Tulip maybe. She probably hoped I had bacon in my pockets.

“I believe I was just about to say yes,” I said with as much cheerful enthusiasm as possible. Of course I wanted to help my aunt and uncle. Hospitality is my business. And how hard could it be to manage a twenty-four room beach motel with an established clientele and a dedicated staff?

“Forgot to tell you we lost our maintenance man last month,” Mike said, nodding at Skip. “He bought the bar next door and he’s fixing it up.”

“Harvey’s Pirate Emporium?” I asked.

“Yep,” Skip said. “But I got rid of Harvey already.”

Harvey was a larger-than-life pirate statue who stood, shading his eyes like a tobacco store Indian, outside the bar entrance. After a few drinks, he looked either friendlier or more sinister, depending on the drunk.

“Gave me the willies,” Skip said, shrugging one shoulder. “Got him in cold storage in an old walk-in freezer.”

“Won’t be the same without him,” I said. What I was really thinking was that The Gull wouldn’t be the same without Skip and his extraordinary ability with his hands. “Who’s our new maintenance man?”

“Don’t have one. Muddling through for now, calling Skip over for emergencies,” Uncle Mike said.

“I can change light bulbs, but I draw the line at using a plunger.”

“That’ll work,” Carol said.

“Any other surprises I should know about?” I asked.

I thought a trace of tension transmitted from Carol to Mike to Skip, but Tulip didn’t seem to notice and I thought I was just seeing mirages in the heat.

“Gotta go,” Skip said. He ruffled Tulip’s ears, flicked me a look, and strode across the ten yards of sand separating his bar from my—temporary—motel. I had extension cords longer than the space between our buildings, and it was going to be one tough job keeping my focus on The Gull while my aunt and uncle were away.

*****

Author Info:

Amie Denman: Where Falling in Love is Fun!

Amie Denman lives in a small town in her native Ohio with her husband and sons. Her two cats and large yellow labrador are kind enough to share a sunny office where she lets her imagination run wild. Reading books was her favorite escape as a child, and growing up four houses away from the community library encouraged her addiction. When she’s not reading or writing, she enjoys walking and running outside. The helpless victim of a lifetime of curiosity, she’s been known to chase fire trucks on her bicycle just to see what’s going on. Amie believes that everything is fun: especially roller coasters, wedding cake, and falling in love.

Amie is the author of six contemporary romance novels:

The Gull Motel,  Blue Bottle Beach,  Her Lucky Catch

Her Lucky Prize,  Will Work for Love,  He’s on Her Trail

Please visit her at www.amiedenman.com

On Facebook https://www.facebook.com/amie.denman.1

On Twitter @amiedenman

*****

Giveaway:

Amie Denman is giving away a paperback copy of The Gull Motel (US only)

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/c7458f33/

*****

Click on the banner below to check out the rest of the tour

Cover Reveal – Razed

Tags

Barnes Brothers series, Razed, Shiloh Walker, Wrecked

First up this morning we get an early look at the newest book by Shiloh Walker.  I’m so excited about this one!

*****

RAZED, a sexy romance by award-winning author, Shiloh Walker, is the much awaited sequel to WRECKED in the Barnes Brothers series and it releases this December from Berkley!

Take a look at the cover and let us know what you think!

Don’t forget to enter the giveaway for a chance to win a signed paperback copy of WRECKED, along with some fabulous swag! (Yes, it’s international :))

*****

RAZED

by Shiloh Walker

Blurb:

Tattoo artist Keelie Jessup can handle that someone else has claimed the man of her dreams. She’s just not pleased with her remaining options…

Keelie doesn’t believe in the “perfect man.” But the men who are worth the trouble are usually taken—like her business partner Zach Barnes. After a string of bad luck and the lost chance with Zach, Keelie decides that maybe flying solo—and living with suppressed desires—is the key to happiness.

As a photographer, Zane Barnes has an eye for the human form, and his eyes can’t get enough of Keelie’s curves. Unfortunately, Keelie is like most women—always fawning over his little brother, Zach. Zane is about ready to give up, but then a few stolen moments at his brother’s wedding have him thinking maybe there’s a chance there after all. Now he just has to prove that the perfect man does exist…for her.

Indiebound | BN | BAMM | iBooks | Amazon

Also in the Barnes Brothers series: WRECKED by Shiloh Walker!

*****

Excerpt:

Humiliation burned in her.

Rejection turned her blood to ice while her skin shrank down about two sizes too small.

She wanted to sink into the floorboards, turn into something thin and vaporous so she could just disappear.

Pushing against his chest, she focused on the navy blue polo.  “Then how about you let me go, huh?  My mistake.”

The hand on her throat didn’t move.

It should have felt threatening.

But the feel of him touching her just made her melt that much more…and it was now a heavy ache inside because he—

His lips brushed her ear.

“You want to know what I want from you?” he asked, the words velvet, stroking over her like a caress.

Keelie closed her hands into fists to keep from reaching for him. He was messing with her.  It pissed her off—and, to her disgust, it hurt.  It almost felt like a betrayal, too, because she hadn’t expected to see this in Zane.

“Back off,” she warned, putting an edge into her voice and preparing herself to make him back off.  So what if he had some moves on him?  He hadn’t seen her moves yet.  Not really.

“I want…” He slid his hand down from her throat, to rest on her chest, fingers spread wide where it rested above her heart.  “This.”

The simplicity of the gesture stunned her into passivity.

She held still as he lifted his head and stared down at her.

She blinked, not moving, as he continued to stand there, his hand on her chest.  “I want five minutes of your time…over a cup of coffee.  An hour for lunch.  I want you to pick up the phone when I call, talk with me for a while,” he said, staring into her eyes while the blue-green of his gaze cut into her.

Then he leaned in and pressed a hot, open-mouthed kiss to her chest, just above the neckline of her sweater.  “I want to peel your clothes away, learn each and every one of these insanely sexy tattoos…each tattoo, and the reason behind them.  I want to know what makes you laugh, and I want to know what makes you mad.  I want to know what sort of book you’re reading whenever I’m in the office—I’ve asked, but you always toss it down when I walk by and you never answer me.”

His breath was a caress on her flesh and she broke out into goosebumps.

Her heart raced in her chest and she couldn’t even begin to understand why there was a knot in her chest.

*****

Author Info:

Shiloh Walker has been writing since she was a kid… she fell in love with vampires with the book Bunnicula and has worked her way up to the more…ah… serious vampire stories. She loves reading and writing anything paranormal, anything fantasy, but most all anything romantic. Once upon a time, she worked as a nurse, but now she writes full time and lives with her family in the Midwest. She also writes under the pen name J. C. Daniels.

Website | Facebook | Twitter| Goodreads

*****

Giveaway:

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b050ef19/

Spotlight – Wild Child

Tags

Boys of Bishop series, Molly O'Keefe, Never Been Kissed, Wild Child

We’ve got a couple of things going on today.  First up is a look at Molly O’Keefe’s newest series –  Book 1 is out now and Book 2 is being released July 1.  Make sure you check out Chapter 1 of Wild Child below!

*****

WILD CHILD

by Molly O’Keefe

October 2013

Boys of Bishop, book #1

Blurb:

Perfect for readers of Susan Elizabeth Phillips and Rachel Gibson, this sizzling romance tells the story of a sexy small-town mayor and a notorious “bad girl,” who discover that home really is where the heart is.

Monica Appleby is a woman with a reputation. Once she was America’s teenage “Wild Child,” with her own reality TV show. Now she’s a successful author coming home to Bishop, Arkansas, to pen the juicy follow-up to her tell-all autobiography. Problem is, the hottest man in town wants her gone. Mayor Jackson Davies is trying to convince a cookie giant to move its headquarters to his crumbling community, and Monica’s presence is just too . . . unwholesome for business. But the desire in his eyes sends a very different message: Stay, at least for a while.

Jackson needs this cookie deal to go through. His town is dying and this may be its last shot. Monica is a distraction proving too sweet, too inviting—and completely beyond his control. With every kiss he can taste her loneliness, her regrets, and her longing. Soon their uncontrollable attraction is causing all kinds of drama. But when two lost hearts take a surprise detour onto the bumpy road of unexpected love, it can only lead someplace wonderful.

“Molly O’Keefe is a unique, not-to-be-missed voice in romantic fiction.”—New York Times bestselling author Susan Andersen

PURCHASE LINKS:
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1pOi3GK
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1jDyO1i

*****

Author Info:

Molly O’Keefe is the RITA Award winning author of over 25 books and novellas. She lives in Toronto, Canada with her husband, two kids and the largest heap of dirty laundry in North America.

AUTHOR LINKS:

Site – http://www.molly-okeefe.com/

Twitter – https://twitter.com/MollyOKwrites

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/MollyOKeefeBooks

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/223845.Molly_O_Keefe

*****

Excerpt:

Chapter 1

Six months ago

Jackson Davies knew better. He really did. There were friends you could do free hard labor for, and there were friends you couldn’t.

Sean Baxter was decidedly a friend you couldn’t. And yet Jackson managed to be shocked when Sean sat down to watch TV while Jackson was still sanding drywall.

“You’ve got to be joking!” Jackson threw down the sandpaper. He was covered in dirt and grime and sweat. He itched. Everywhere. Agreeing to help Sean renovate his family’s old dive bar, The Pour House, had seemed like a good idea four months ago—a little physical labor, some laughs with friends.

But so far Jackson and Brody, Sean’s brother, were doing all the work.

Why are you surprised? It’s grade school all over again.

“I just want to see this clip on America Today.”

Sean’s face mask was pushed up into his red hair, revealing a clean circle of skin around his lips. No doubt Jackson and Brody looked equally ridiculous. Jackson needed to shower before heading to City Hall. “Monica Appleby is going to be on. You know, that writer—”

“You know, I’ve actually got work to do. Real work.” Jackson took off his tool belt. Behind him, Brody kept scraping away at the mahogany bar he was refurbishing. Brody was in town for a week between jobs and he’d committed to slave carpenter labor for that time.

Jackson couldn’t help the man.

“I’m sure Bishop will do just fine without you on a Friday morning.”

“I’m mayor, Sean. I can’t just take the whole morning off.” And the truth was, working out here at The Pour House was easier than going into City Hall today and almost every other day.

Bishop, Arkansas, was dying. Slowly, from a financial wound Jackson didn’t know how to fix. And Jackson took a lot of pride in being able to fix anything.

At least sanding walls made him feel like he was doing something.

“I’m out,” Jackson said. “I’ve got a meeting with the city council, and . . .”

“Shhhhh, there she is!” Sean turned the volume up, and even Brody was forced to stop his relentless work and watch the screen.

Monica Appleby sat on the couch in the America Today green room. The reality-star-turned-author was everywhere these days. And every time Jackson caught a glimpse of her on a magazine cover or TV show, he thought the same thing: that girl is trouble.

Her black-haired, purple-eyed beauty was diamond bright but lined in smoke and sin. Something about Monica managed to put a spotlight on every single wrong and dirty thing he’d abstained from in the last seven years. Expensive bourbon, cheap tequila, beautiful women whose names he didn’t want to know, steak dinners, the Las Vegas strip, unpaid parking tickets—all of it.

She was the human and stunningly gorgeous personification of everything he wanted and couldn’t have.

It hurt to look at her.

“Remember her?” Sean asked. “From when we were kids?”

A terrified six-year-old, clinging to her battered mother’s legs.

“Of course I remember her,” Jackson said. That girl’s brief nightmarish stay in Bishop was a low point, for him and for the town. It had turned them all into voyeurs, decent people with better things to do than lining up outside the police station for a glimpse of Monica and Simone Appleby and all their pain.

“I loved that show she was on with her mom,” Sean sighed.

Jackson did not want to get into the reality-television horror show that Monica and Simone Appleby had inflicted upon the world, years ago. Monica had been a nightmare teenager, and Simone’s inability to control her had made for hugely popular though short-lived television.

Simone had her own show now, by all accounts equally bad.

“I gotta go,” Jackson said.

“See you later?” Brody asked, his black hair held back with a bandana. He looked badass, as much as his brother looked like a leprechaun with drywall dust in his hair.

“I’ve got to pick up Gwen after school. She’s got an interview down at Ole Miss.”

“I can’t believe your sister is old enough to go to college,” Brody said.

She wasn’t. But she was smart enough. And he was just desperate enough to let her go.

“Can you guys cut the chatter?” Sean asked. “I’m trying to listen here.”

“We’ll talk with Monica Appleby right after we discuss one CEO’s effort to bring industry back to small-town America,” said Jessica Walsh, the America Today host.

“Oh, Jessica, I always knew you were a tease,” Sean said, and he grabbed the remote to turn down the volume.

“Don’t,” Jackson said. Industry and small-town America were kind of his current obsessions. “Leave it.”

Riveted, Jackson stepped closer to the TV, as a handsome man with sharp blue eyes and shaggy blond hair that made him look like a cross between a surfer and a movie star filled the screen. His teeth were like pearls. Little white Chiclets.

“Dean Jennings, CEO of Maybream Crackers, makers of Crispity Crackers and Maybream Crème cookies, is moving his factory from South America back to the United States,” Jessica said, managing to make crackers sound sexy.

“Those cookies are gross,” Sean said.

“I like them,” Brody answered.

“You would.”

Jackson grabbed the remote and cranked up the volume.

“But that’s not all,” Jessica said, working her long blond hair like a stripper dancing around a pole. “He wants to bring his factory back to small-town America. Can you tell us about that decision, Dean?”

“Maybream was started in a small factory outside of New York. Twenty years ago we moved it down to South America.” Dean’s earnest-salesman charm played well on the screen—Jessica could barely keep her eyes off the man. “But all across America right now there are factories lying empty and American workers are without jobs. And I just realized . . . I couldn’t stand by and watch American industry vanish, not when I could do something about it. Now, I’m a small company and I can’t change the economy, but I realized I could change one small town by bringing the Maybream Cracker headquarters and factory back to America.”

“This is all really exciting,” Jessica said. “But I think the most exciting, and frankly, PR savvy, part about it is that you are teaming up with us, America Today .” Jessica smiled into the camera. “And you, our viewers, get to choose the lucky town.”

“It is exciting and I don’t know about savvy, but I thought it would be fun.” Dean made it sound like saving a small town was a trip to the seashore.

“Tell us how it works.” Jessica leaned forward across the desk, hanging, it seemed, on Dean’s every word. Or perhaps just hypnotized by his teeth.

“The application to nominate a town is available online, and my staff and I will look through every entry,” Dean said. “We will pick six that best match what we need in a factory and community. Once we have our six semifinalists, America Today will travel with me to take a good, hard look at those towns.”

“That’s an interesting aspect of this contest,” Jessica said. “What are you looking for in a community?”

“Well,” Dean sighed. “Since we’ll be moving our headquarters and staff, we need a place where people would want to raise a family. Someplace wholesome but forward-thinking, with opportunities for kids and parents. With a factory.”

Oh, God, it was like the man was singing Jackson love songs!

“That guy wouldn’t know wholesome if it bit him in the ass,” Sean muttered.

Jackson shot a scowl over his shoulder.

“What?” Sean cried. “The guy’s a sleazeball—anyone can tell.”

Behind him, Brody was nodding.

Jackson dismissed them both, because his heart was about to burst.

We’re wholesome, we’re forward-thinking.

And best of all, Bishop had a factory: an okra-processing plant that had been closed for five years. It just sat there, empty, on the south side of town. A reminder of what this town used to be. A graveyard to nearly one hundred lost jobs.

Jackson had been trying for three years as mayor to bring in new business, new industry that would keep this town afloat—but he’d never dreamed of getting the factory open again.

“After I narrow down my choices from six to three and make sure the top three have factories that can be retrofitted for Maybream Crackers,” Dean said, “I’m going to let America vote which town wins. And together we will change that town’s future.”

“Deadline for applications is the end of the month,” Jessica pointed out. “So if you know a town that you think would be a good fi t for Maybream Crackers, check out our website.” A website address scrolled along the bottom of the screen.

“Give me a pencil,” Jackson said, holding out his hand toward his friends. “Now. Now before it’s gone.”

“Christ, man,” Sean said, slapping a small oblong carpenter’s pencil into his hand. “You can google that shit, you know.”

Jackson scrawled the information on the wall he’d just been sanding. It would be painted over, but that didn’t stop Sean from moaning as if Jackson were defacing the Taj Mahal.

“Dean,” Jessica continued, “thanks so much for coming in today and partnering with us on this great project. I hope more American companies take note and bring their factories back to U.S. soil.”

“Me too, Jessica. Thanks for having me.” One last movie-star smile and Dean Jennings was gone.

The show cut to commercial, and Jackson turned down the volume before facing his friends.

Their wary expressions bounced right off his ebullient mood.

“Did you hear that? It’s like he was talking about Bishop!” He punched the air in victory. It felt so good, so right, that he did it again. There hadn’t been a whole lot of reasons for fist-pumping these days. “This is it!” he cried. “This is exactly what Bishop needs.”

“A TV show?”

“Someone to reopen the factory. Bring back jobs. New jobs. For Bishop!” Jackson was light-headed with relief and excitement. “Oh my God, can you believe that? It’s perfect.”

“It’s a long shot,” said Brody.

“I believe in long shots,” Jackson said. “I am the king of long shots.” Not entirely true, but he was riding a wave here.

Sean, who made being a cynic his life’s work, frowned.

Now Jackson’s good mood was dented.

“Just because you don’t like the guy after a clip on television—”

“Guys who look like that can’t be trusted. It’s a fact. They get everything they want,” Sean said.

“Bishop is dying, Sean. Dying. We need this.”

“But a TV show?” Sean asked. “And letting America vote? That shit is always rigged.”

“You want people coming into The Pour House?” Jackson asked. “Not just the regulars, but new business? Young people? Hot girls?”

“Hot girls would be nice.”

“You want your kids—”

“I don’t have kids.”

“But you will someday, and you’re not going to want to bus them to school an hour away, are you? If we don’t change our tax base, we lose the schools. That’s it. A chance like this might not come again. The town is in a bad way, Sean. A third of our population has left—”

“You don’t have to tell me.” Sean held up his hands in surrender, but he didn’t lose that scowl.

“Then what’s your problem?”

If Jackson were the punching kind, he would have punched Sean Baxter years ago. In kindergarten, maybe. And probably another hundred times since. For that face alone. Always the doubting Thomas. Always the fly in the soup.

“Remember when we played baseball in high school?” Jackson shot a “can’t you help me here, he’s your brother?” look at Brody, who only went back to sanding.

“Of course I remember, Sean. We had the worst record in the state.”

“We sucked. It’s true. But you know what I remember about you?” Sean asked.

“I can’t even imagine.”

Sean leaned over the bar, through sunlight and a snowstorm of dust in the air, catching Jackson in the crosshairs of his light blue eyes.

“You swung for the fences, every time. Even when a base hit would have sufficed, you went after that ball like it had insulted your mother. Like the fate of the world rested on you knocking the leather off that damn thing.”

“That’s why I led the team in home runs.”

“And strikeouts.”

“What’s your point, Sean?”

“I thought you were nuts when you decided to run for mayor, but I supported you. But this show . . . this idea . . . It feels like you’re swinging for the fences.” Jackson stepped forward and poked his old friend in the chest. “That’s exactly what I’m doing, Sean. And I’m doing it right now.”

He glanced at the wall and memorized the website he’d scrawled there.

The whole texture of his day had changed. He had to get on that application process, and quick. He wasn’t even sure who had keys to the factory. Shelby Monroe’s mother used to run it; maybe she had the keys. He grabbed his wallet from the windowsill where he’d left it and walked out of the bar into the bright Arkansas morning.

As mayor of Bishop, population 4,200, he’d been working hard to fix what was wrong with the community, all so that he could leave it.

And this show might just be his ticket out of here.

*****

NEVER BEEN KISSED, the next installment in the Boys of Bishop series, will be released July 1st, 2014.

PRE-ORDER NOW

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1qpWwn6
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/SXQ3U1

Spotlight – Curse of the Phoenix

Tags

Rachel Firasek, The Last Awakening, The Last Beginning, The Last Rising

We’ve got a couple of things going on today.  First up is a look at the Curse of the Phoenix Bundle.  The perfect set for those who enjoy paranormal romances!

*****

Curse of the Phoenix Bundle

by Rachel Firasek

Blurb:

Book One:  The Last Rising

After paying two millennia’s penance to Osiris, world-weary Phoenix Ice has had enough. Saving souls without any hope for her own redemption isn’t how she imagined spending eternity. Fed up, she decides her next death will be her last. But when she sacrifices her own life for a sexy Texan in a catastrophic plane crash, she has no idea the consequences will be so great…or that she’ll end up back in his life for her next assignment.

Now that Turner Alcott has survived the worst, finding a wife and mother for his son matters more than ever before. When the mysterious Ice comes into his life, Turner knows she’s the one—but love is the last thing Ice wants. If he wants to win her heart, Turner must teach Ice how to forgive herself, and prove that love is the ultimate sacrifice.

Book Two: The Last Awakening

For three hundred years, Arabella’s life has been one meaningless death after another. In a cruel twist of fate, Osiris gifts the phoenix her mortality and long-gone voodoo magic with a warning that she must save her next soul within a week without using magic, or she’ll lose her power forever.

Ex-soldier Greyson Meadows desperately wants to be freed from the nightmares and guilt that haunt him. Confronted by a waif of a woman who forces him to face the truth about his past, he runs fast and hard, fighting the need to prove himself worthy despite his perceived failures.

When Ari becomes the target of her own magical blunder, the weak will find strength and the strong will fall. One will have to give up everything so the other can have peace, but will love’s magic withstand the loss?

Book Three: The Last Beginning

Though she’s always hated being a phoenix, Sadie has to admit immortality has its advantages. She’s seen and done more in the last 150 years than she’d ever dreamed of, but she can’t get past the fact that Osiris has done nothing but manipulate her and her fellow phoenixes.

Or that, when her last incarnation as a phoenix comes to a fiery end, the fire slowly begins to consume her body.

Sun god Osiris is ashamed of his role as ruler of the Underworld, but he unless he can figure out how to save Sadie, that’s exactly where she’s going to end up. Permanently. Terrified he’s going to lose her, he takes her on a hunt for The Book of the Dead, which is the only way he knows he can save her—even if it means she’ll hate him forever.

Goodreads

The Last Rising *The Last Awakening *The Last Beginning

* Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Entangled

*****

Author Info:

Rachel Firasek spends her days daydreaming of stories and her nights putting the ideas to ink. She has spent a dull life following the rules, meeting deadlines, and toeing the line, but in her made up worlds, she can let the wild side loose. Her wonderful husband and three children support her love of the written word and only ask for the occasional American Idol or Swamp People quality hour. She has a philosophy about love. It must devastate or it isn’t truly worth loving. She hopes that you all find your devastating love and cling to it with all your heart. After all, romance on the edge is better!

Website *Blog *Twitter *Facebook *Goodreads * Newsletter

*****

Giveaway:

$25 Giftcard

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/1cb554381/

*****

Click on the banner below to check out the rest of the tour

Book Review – One Sexy Ride

Tags

Book Review, One Sexy Ride, Thompson & Sons, Vivian Arend

Ya’ll Vivian Arend’s One Sexy Ride just came out and it is a definite TBR!

AND

** For one week only, book 1 in the series, ROCKY RIDE, is on sale for $0.99.**

Now available!
Rocky Ride: Book 1 | Baby, Be Mine: Bonus Book 1.5 | One Sexy Ride: Book 2

(Please keep in mind that these are erotic romances so they do get extra HOT)

*****

His goal is to stand firm

As the middle child in a big family, Len Thompson has found it easy to slip under the radar. His relationships outside the family-run garage tend to run a mile wide but only an inch deep as he keeps his heart, body and soul protected. But when the one woman he’s always wanted makes it known she’ll soon be leaving town, he can’t resist letting her into his carefully constructed fortress.

Her gift is rocking his world

Chasing her best friend’s big brother has both entertained and frustrated Janey for years. She’s not sure what triggered his change of heart, but hell, yeah, she’ll accept it. All of it. Every kiss, every touch, every bit of body-shaking pleasure. Working to meet her renovation deadline is suddenly not nearly as interesting as the mind-blowing escapades she’s enjoying with the big sexy mechanic.

When old fears threaten, Len must finally choose—face his past or let their future crumble.

While I haven’t read any of the Thompson & Sons or the Six Pack Ranch series, I have read Arend’s All Fired Up and enjoyed it a lot.  One Sexy Ride proves to be just as intriguing, although it deals more with family dynamic and long held fears.

I think the childhood friend/friend’s sibling is one of my favorite types of romances.  I love the shared history and the understanding that comes from two people knowing each other for years, even if they haven’t been seeing each other all that clearly.  For Janey, Len has always been the one she wanted but couldn’t have.  But now the frustrating man may be finally giving in to their attracting.

Len has reservations about giving his heart to anyone, especially Janey.  She’s the one woman who has the power to rip it to pieces and he’s not willing to give anyone that control.  But with Janey leaving, he thinks he can give in to his desire in the short term, knowing that there is an end date …

Len may be sexy as all get out and smart in most things, but he’s completely clueless when it comes to romance.  How many times have you seen the guy think that he can keep from getting too involved with the woman he wants?  And how many times does that actually work?  Yeah, same for Len.  But it is awesome watching him fall.  The ending is just as heartbreaking as you’d expect, but the HEA makes up for it in spades.

With sexy, silent Len and vivacious Janey creating sparks, life isn’t necessarily calm but it is a lot of fun.  And if the rest of Arend’s stories are anything like the two I’ve read so far, I definitely have found a new go-to author.  Emotionally complex, funny and sweet, but richly sexy, One Sexy Ride is full of color and passion and fun.  As a bonus, Len’s brothers are a complicated group and I can’t wait to see what Arend has in store for them.

(While set in the same world as the bestselling Six Pack Ranch series, the Thompson & Sons series stands alone.)

Guest Post – Up To Me

Tags

Christi Barth, Shore Secrets series, Up To Me

This morning I’m pleased to welcome Christi Barth as she stops by to answer a few questions and give us a look at her newest book – Up to Me.

*****

*What do you like best about writing romances?

I get to wallow in happiness (mostly) and love. Not a bad way to spend the day! On a more serious note, knowing that I can provide people with a few hours of escape warms my heart immensely.

*What is your favorite romantic story (movie/book. fact/fiction)?

Don’t make me choose. That’s like asking me to choose between oxygen and water. Maybe Love Actually. No, Bringing Up Baby – or Notting Hill. Ack – I’m begging you now – don’t make me chose!

*If you could be any romantic heroine, who would it be and why?

Scarlett O’Hara. Because of her dresses. And because I want to sleep with Rhett Butler, just once.

*Which of your characters/books was the most fun to write? 

Love at High Tide. It takes place on the Maryland shore where I vacation every year, and I loved putting my favorite parts of the seaside town into the book. In fact, I loved it so much that I wrote a sequel, Love on the Boardwalk, which releases in September!

*If you weren’t a writer, what would you want to be doing instead?

Writing is actually my second dream career come true. I started out as an opera and musical theatre performer. Yes, it was wonderful. Yes, my favorite part was dressing up in beautiful costumes for a living. So I think I can definitively say that I wouldn’t be doing anything besides writing.

*****

Up To Me

by Christi Barth

Blurb:

Ella Mayhew’s always appreciated the beautiful view of Seneca Lake from the spa window of her family’s hotel.But the view improves dramatically when a hot stranger runs across the grounds—shirtless. He’s the first man to kickstart her hormones in the three years since she lost her parents, and she doesn’t even know his name.

Graydon Locke’s on his umpteenth undercover assignment. The routine’s always the same: assess a business, recommend it for closure, then roll out before anyone discovers his decisions impact hundreds of lives. He’s always believed nothing good comes out of small towns. Why would this one be different? Then he makes two classic rookie mistakes—falling for the sweet, sexy girl who owns the very business he’s on the verge of axing. And letting the town’s residents get involved in both his life, and his relationship with Ella.

Ella’s the best thing to ever happen to Gray, but he’s lied to her from the start. If he pulls the plug on Mayhew Manor, the entire town may crumble. Ella couldn’t save her parents, but it’s up to her to save their hotel. Even if that means turning her back on true love.

*****

Author Info:

Christi Barth writes sassy, sexy and smart contemporary romances. She earned a Masters degree in vocal performance and embarked upon a career on the stage. A love of romance then drew her to wedding planning. Ultimately she succumbed to her lifelong love of books and now writes contemporary romance. Christi is lives in Maryland with her husband.